Rotary engine.



No. 801,373. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905. J. E. GEARHART.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATIDR FILED AUG. 2. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses PATENTED OUT. 10, 1905.

J. E. GBARHART.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2,1905.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII:

Inventor;

Attorneys JOSEPH E. GEAItHART, OF CLEARFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed August 2, 1905. Serial No. 272,419.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. GEARHART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clearfield, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines, and has for its principal object to provide a novel form of engine wherein a plurality of piston members are acted upon successively by steam or other fluid-pressure in such manner that constant working force is exerted during all portions of the rotation of the main piston.

A further object of the invention is to provide an engine having a multiple piston arranged to work within a single inclosing casing or main cylinder.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a multiple cylinder engine so arranged that working pressure will be constantly exerting its force in one ormore cylinders and in which the force exerted is precisely the same on each portion vof the periphery of the piston, the working force transmitted by the shaft being uniform and any stoppage of the engine from a dead-center rendered impossible.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an engine of the multiple-piston type in which a plurality of revoluble piston members are arranged to successively enter revoluble cylinder members, suitable provision being made for compensating for lost motion between the members and for preventing leakage of the actuating fluid.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of piston member of such construction as to automatically accommodate itself to the cylinder or cylinders, to compensate for lost motion, and of such construction that when subjected to the pressure of the actuating fluid it will constitute a packing and prevent the escape of the fluid.

Vith these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of constructionandarrangementof parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size,-

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is one of the cylinders on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The working parts of the engine are inclosed within a suitable casing 10 for the protection of the parts, said casing, however, being an unnecessary element so far as the operation of the engine is concerned. The casing is provided with bearings for a transversely-disposed shaft 11, on which are mounted a number of piston-disks 12, said disks being preferably of the same diameter and thickness and each being provided at the center with a slot 13, through which extends a key or feather 14; on the shaft 11, the slot being of sufficient length to permit some slight lost motion of the piston member with respect to the shaft during the operation of the engine. Projecting from the periphery of each disk is a series of cylindrical piston members 15, each of these being preferably in the form of an approximately cylindrical block havinga stem 16, that is rigidly secured to the disk. At the opposite ends of the cylindrical block are arranged recesses for the reception of compression-springs 16, on which are seated head members 17, that are arranged for engagement with the side walls of the cylinder members and constitute packings, as will hereinafter appear. Surrounding each of the cylindrical blocks is a cylindrical tube 18 of a diameter greater than that of the block in order that when subjected to pressure in one direction it may extend in a direction at right angles theretothat is to say, if compressed in a diametrical line it will tend to assume elliptical formand this is taken advantage of in the operation of the engine to prevent the escape of the steam or other actuating fluid, the fluid serving by pressure in one direction on said tube to expand the same in a direction at a right angle to the line of pressure in order to force the side walls of the tube into engagement with the side walls of the cylinder.

While each of the disks, in connection with its series of pistons, forms a complete piston member and in cooperation with a cylinder member forms a complete engine, it is found advisable to employ a plurality of pistondisks in which the piston members of the several disks are disposed in staggered relationthat is to say, the piston members of the first disk will be in advance of those of the second disk and the piston members of the second disk will be in advance of the piston members of the third disk, and so on, any number of disks and piston members being employed in order to secure the desired results.

In one of the side walls of the casing 10 is a bearing for a shaft 20, which may be employed for the purpose of transmitting power to the machinery or other devices to be operated. To the inner end of this shaft is secured a cylindrical casing 21, extending from one side wall of the cylinder to the other and open at that end opposite the shaft 20. This open end of the casing extends into an annular groove 22, formed in the wall of said casing for its reception and support. Secured to this casing are cylinder-disks 25, the periphery of each disk being provided with a plurality of cylinders 26, arranged on radial lines and of any desired number. Each of the cylinders is of a width corresponding to the diameter of one of the cylinder members 15, and its inner end is curved to follow the curvature of the piston-head. Extending inward from each cylinder to and through the cylindrical casing 21 is a steamport 27, and these ports are brought successively into alinement with a main steam-port 28, formed in a reversing-valve 29, arranged within the cylindrical casing 21.

The several cylinder members 25 are separated from each other by solid disks 31, these forming the side walls of the several cylinders 26, and said cylinders 26 are arranged in staggered order corresponding to the staggered relation of the piston members 15, so that at least one of said piston members shall always be subjected to pressure within one of the cylinders during the operation of the engine.

The valve 29 is cylindrical in form and is closed at that end adjacent to the shaft 20. The opposite end extends out through a suitable stuffingbox 33 into a steam-chest 84, connected to a boiler or other source of supply, and this outer portion of the valve is provided with ports 35, through which the steam may freely pass to the interior of the valve and from thence through the port 28 to the several ports 27 as the latter pass the port 28 during the revolution of the cylinder members.

That end of the valve opposite the shaft 20 is provided with a stem 37, to which is connected a reversing-valve 38, that may be locked in adjusted position by a rack 39, and by moving this lever in one direction or the other the valve-port 28 may be moved to a position to one or other side of 'a straight line connecting the axes of the shafts 11 and 20. When moved to one side of this line, the steam or other pressure will cause the engine to revolve in one direction, and when moved to the other side the engine will revolve in the opposite direction.

lt will be observed on reference to Fig. 1 that the main port 28 is to one side of the common plane of the two shafts, and steam will therefore not be admitted to the cylinder which contains the piston 15 until the axis of the cylinder has passed above this plane. hen this occurs, the pressure acting between the piston and the wall of the cylinder tends to force the piston member in one direction and the cylinder member in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. This movement brings the next succeeding piston into position within the next succeeding cylinder, and owing to the construction of the parts there will be some lost motion necessary to insure the proper entering of the piston member within the cylinder. This is accomplished by the slotted connection 13, which allows the piston to freely enter the cylinder, and at the same time prevents the leakage of steam between the piston and the wall of the cylinder. here the cylindrical tube 18 is placed around the piston, it is unnecessary to provide for this lost motion. The initial or normal diameter of the tube is greater than the width of the cylinder, and on being forced within the cylinder said tube is contracted in a diametrical line in a plane at a right angle to the radial line of said piston, and thus forms an ellipse, the major diameter of which is in a radial line from the axis of the shaft 11. hen the steam is directed into the cylinder, the pressure of steam tends to change the shape of the ellipse, so that the major diameter will be in a plane at a right angle to said radial line and the side walls of the tube will thus be crowded against the walls of the cylinder and will thus constitute a packing that will prevent the accidental leakage of steam.

By staggering the ports and cylinders in the manner described it is possible, by employing a suitable number of piston and cylinder members, to insure a working force on at least one of said piston members during every degree of movement of both the piston and the cylinder members, and the torque on both shafts is constant and uniform.

To reverse the engine, it is merely necessary to shift the position of the lever 38 until the port 28 is below the common plane of the shafts 11 and 20, and the steam or other pressure will thus act to force the piston and cylinder members in a direction the opposite of that indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1.

As a modification of this structure, each of the cylinders may be provided with grooved Walls for the reception of a piston 40, and the limit of outward movement is determined by the length of the grooves. The outer face of too this piston is provided with a rounded recess for the reception of the cylindrical piston members 15, and it will thus be unnecessary to render the former a steam-tight connection between the latter and the walls of the cylinder.

WVhen the piston member is forced outward, it will exercise sufiicient thrust against the piston member carried by the shaft 11 to force the latter to rotate, and the steam within the cylinder is then allowed to escape through an auxiliary port 41 in the side wall of the main valve, there being two of such ports arranged at diametrically opposite points in order to permit of the operation of the engine in both directions.

In order to permitv the ready turning of the main valve, a pair of antifriction-rollers 50 is carried by the valve at a point diametrically opposite the port 28, said rollers bearing against the inner surface of the cylindrical casing 21.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a rotary engine, a revoluble piston member having a plurality of radially-arranged piston-heads extending from the periphery thereof, a cylinder-disk provided with peripherally-disposed cylinders arrangedfor the reception of the piston-heads, a hollow valve arranged centrally of the cylinder member and around which the latter rotates, said valve having a steamport, and a cylinder member having radially-arranged ports that are successively brought into alinement with the valve-port, and means for adjusting said valve to present the port to one or other side of the common plane of the axis of the piston and cylinder members.

2. In a rotary engine, a plural-piston member comprising a series of piston-disks, each provided with an annular series of radiallyarranged piston-heads projecting from the periphery of the disk, the piston-heads of said disk being disposed in staggered relation, and a plural-cylinder member comprising a series of connected disks, each provided with cylinders at its periphery, the cylinders being also disposed in staggered relation and being arranged for the reception of the piston-heads, and means for admitting steam or other fluid to said cylinders.

3. The combination in a rotary'engine, of plural cylinder and piston members, one provided with a series of sets of radially-projecting piston-heads, disposed in staggered order across the width of said piston member, and

a cylinder member having a series of sets of peripherally-arranged cylinders disposed in staggered relation across the width of such cylinder member, spacing-disks separating each set of cylinders from the adjacent sets and forming side wall members of the cylinders, and means for controlling the flow of steam to said cylinders.

4. In combination,a piston comprisingarevoluble body portion or drum having a series of sets of approximately cylindrical piston -heads projecting from the periphery thereof and disposed in staggered relation across the width of said drum, a hollow valve having a steamport, a cylinder member arranged to revolve around the valve and provided with a series of sets of cylinders, also disposed in staggered relation,portsleadingthrough the cylinder member and communicating at one end with the cylinders, the opposite ends of the ports being brought successively into communication with the valve-port, means for closing the side walls, of the cylinders and preventing communication between adjacent cylinders, and a power-shaft extending from said cylinder member. v

5. The combination with a multiple-piston member, of a multiple-cylinder member, a hollow valve around which the cylinder member revolves, said valve having a port through which steam may pass for operation on the pistons, a casing having a separating-box through which one end of the valve extends, a steam- .chest for receiving the outer end of the valve, there being ports leading through the valvecasing for the passage of steam from the chest, a valve-stem connected to the valve and projecting outside the steam-chest, and means for engaging the steam and adjusting the position of the valve to govern the direction of rotation of the engine.

6. The combination with a cylinder, of a piston member including an elastic tube, of an initial diameter greater than the bore or width of the cylinder, said tube when subjected to the pressure of the actuating fluid being forced into frictional contact with the wall of the cylinder to prevent the escape of such fluid.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH E. GEARHART. Witnesses:

J. 0. Cruise, FRANK D. LEIPOLD. 

